Every year, billions of gallons of polluted water are pumped into Florida's Lake Okeechobee, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the United States. The Kissimmee River is the largest source of water input over 60% of the incoming flow. Other rivers such as Lake Istokpoga, Taylor Creek, Fisheating Creek, Nubbin Slough and Nicodemus Slough also feed in large quantities of water. The water passes nearby industrial agriculture operations and urban runoff, wherein the water becomes contaminated with nitrogen, phosphorous, and other pollutants. These feed toxic algae blooms lethal to fish and wildlife populations dependent upon the lake.
Historically, outflow from the lake was by sheet flow over the Everglades. The Herbert Hoover dike was built after the hurricane of 1928 and outflow is now directed to various canals such as the Caloosahatchee River and St. Lucie Waterway. When the lake depth is above 17 feet, the dike is at a significantly higher risk of a breach and the flood gates are opened which always prompts outrage in coastal communities where the water quality problems scare away tourists and scar marine habitat. Once the flood gates are opened, billions of gallons of foul nutrient-laced Lake Okeechobee water runoff is dumped into the receiving canals wherein outbreaks of toxic algae has occurred. The water contains toxins typical of urban runoff and agriculture operations which include nitrogen, phosphorous, and other pollutants creating a green slime. The polluted water has damaging environmental consequences on coastal waterways—fouling fishing grounds and in some areas making water unsafe for human contact. In August of 2013, a massive toxic algae outbreak covering southeast Florida's waters with fluorescent green slime covering water that was once crystal clear water and turning it a chocolate brown. The clusters of toxic green algae spread into the estuaries affecting fish spawning as well as affecting business, home ownership, property values, and people can't swim.
The Applicant has worked extensively with some of the foulest waters imaginable. In many such instances the treatment of such fluids is required primarily due to water contaminated with aerobic or anaerobic bacteria. Aerobic bacteria, often called a slime forming bacteria, is found to produce a polysaccharide bio-film that inhibits the flow of gasses. Anaerobic bacteria can be include an acid producing bacteria such as APB that grows on metal and secretes acid producing corrosion, or SRB which is a sulfate reducing bacteria that produces hydrogen sulfide and has the potential to harm the environment.
What is needed is a device capable of cleaning Lake Okeechobee water without the need for chemicals or altering the total dissolved solids of the water.